Thursday, April 26, 2007

A grave security concern

Sometimes I wonder - do potential criminals actually believe that our police force are so ineffective that they can easily get away with their crimes in Malaysia?

Or worse, if caught, they can just as easily walk away with a light sentence due to the inefficiency of our justice system?

Think about it.

Crimes, petty and dangerous, have risen at an alarming rate all over Malaysia. Snatch thieves seem to be all over the place, maiming and killing their victims without batting an eyelid.

A robber who breaks into your home is not just interested in relieving you of your valuables, he is now more likely to rape the female members of your family or even kill you to protect his identity.

All these incidents and more which are making the people of Malaysia feeling less safe and secure is making a mockery of the progress we have achieved close to 50 years after Merdeka.

This latest incident of a college student alleging she was nearly raped and killed by a security guard hired by her college within the grounds of her campus is most shocking and alarming. (The SUN, 26 April 2007)

Now, every female college student has additional cause for concern when moving around within their campus grounds.

Is it SEMUA OK when public safety is no longer a top priority in achieving VISION 2020?

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'Like being in the jaws of death' TARC student recalls ordeal of rape attemptCharles Ramendran

KUALA LUMPUR (April 25, 2007): The security firm that hired an 18-year-old guard who attempted to rape an accountancy student in Tunku Abdul Rahman College (TARC) last Saturday (April 21) should have its licence suspended.

Supramaniam made the call in a press confrence in the Gerakan headquarters in Ulu Pudu where the 18-year-old victim related her ordeal which she described as being "in the jaws of death".

"I was taking a sip from a cooler when I was hit in the head from behind. When I turned, he hit me again with the stone.

"He hit me repeatedly and dragged me back into the hall (where she had just completed her examination at 5.30pm). I was stripped and he started fondling my private parts. He then pulled down his pants and when he failed to make a penetration, he started to strangle me with a shirt.

"I thought I was dying as blood oozed from my head. He fled when the lights were switched on (by another guard on patrol). I picked myself up and ran but I bumped into a classmate (Ng Szeyi) who alerted the security," she said.

The assailant, who continued to patrol the campus as if nothing had happened, was then nabbed by his colleagues and handed over to the police an hour after the attack.

"It's such a painful and frightening experience. I am thankful to be (still) alive today but I do not know what kind of future I have. I am too terrified to return to campus," said the first year accountancy student.

The victim's father, a blacksmith from Jinjang, said: "I am very disappointed with TARC's officials who had not made any effort to enquire about my daughter's condition except for two telephone calls.

"It's a shocking incident to happen in campus grounds. Worse still, the crime was committed by a security guard it hired. TARC needs to give some explanation for its breach in security," he added.

Not only the principal should resign, the Student Affairs Director and Security Manager should also go. Ong Ka Ting there should be an enquiry how and on what basis this Security Firm is contractedm and who recommended this firm.

get to know that the principal is driving a mercedes on college expenses, if this is true, i can't imagine how she could live with it by cutting cost on important matter (facilities on security) but spent it on herself. hope that a capable candidate can take over this position and revamp the college policy.

" get to know that the principal is driving a mercedes on college expenses"

Not only she is driving a mercedes on college expenses but after her contract of 3 or 5 years(not sure) is over the mercedes is sold to her for a token sum and the college will purchase another mercedes for her! Ong ka Ting has alot to answer for this.

The MCA did not look far and wide. A very suitable candidate who was Associate Professor in USM and with a Phd for Principal would be:

Dr. Ban Lee Goh is a columnist for The Sun newspapers in Malaysia, focusing on issues related to urban governance, housing and urban planning. He has a Bachelor of Social Sciences and Master of Social Sciences from the Universiti Sains Malaysia and a Ph. D. in Urban Planning from University of California, Los Angeles. Before retiring in June 2005, he was an Associate Professor in the School of Social Sciences in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). In between his tenure as a lecturer in the USM, he was the Vice Principal of Tunku Abdul Rahman College (1997-1999) after serving as the first Director of the Penang Branch of the college (1994-1997). During his tenure as an academic, Dr Goh served as a member in several government bodies. He was a member of the first National Economic Consultative Council (1989-1991) and a Municipal Councillor in the Penang Island Municipal Council (1989-1995). He was also involved in projects conducted by international and regional organisations, including United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD), Urban Management Programme (UMP) of the United Nations Asia Pacific Region, and Asian Productivity Organization (APO). Dr Goh’s interests include urban governance, especially on the question of non-compliance, housing and urban planning. Among his publications are Urban Planning Among his publications are Urban Planning in Malaysia (1991) and Non-compliance – A Neglected Agenda in Urban Governance (2002).

i always read Dr Goh article. i agree with most of his idea. i get to know that he was previous penang branch rahman college head.

it is very sad that MCA never fully appreciate and get the help of talented and capable person.

hope they realize the problem and take the necessary action ASAP.

current college management and policy should be revised.

but do agree with a few posting above that the principal should resign or be terminated.

if any of the college staff is reading this article, pls past this message to the top management. we as the normal citizen feel that you should say "sorry" for the whole incident. is that so difficult?

i agree that Dr Goh is a suitable candidate to revamp rahman college .

i too always read Dr Goh articles. i agree with most of his idea ans sensible comments.

"it is very sad that MCA never fully appreciate and get the help of talented and capable person."

It was council member, Ong ka Chuan who apologized on behalf of the college. All this while the principal said her staff is trying to contact the victim to give counseling. I feel that the management needs counseling not her.

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